Root Cause: This occurs if the guest OS profile in VMware is set too high (e.g., RHEL 7/8 profiles) or if you are running modern ESXi hosts that lack the 32-bit architectural processor instructions needed by the older Linux kernel. Ensure the VM uses a legacy virtual hardware version.
Rufus is a popular tool for creating bootable USB drives: Bootable UCSInstall UCOS UNRST 8.6.2.10000-14.sgn.161